Team ACRN
by a-lover-and-fighter B4BYD0V3
Summary: The journey of our four protagonists as they grow up & learn a bit about themselves during their time in & out of Beacon Academy. Written by Caleb Falke, Mikko Puro, Caleb Earley, & myself. -Now In Memory Of Monty: We love you Monty. We'll keep moving forward. Finding creative ways to face the world.-
1. Chapter 1 - Planting the Seed

Chapter 1: Planting the Seed

_'Dang, lost him again.' _Auron stepped around the corner, his eyes peering into the dim light of dusk. '_Either he knows he's being followed, or I have no idea how to tail someone.'_

Either option was possible. The guy he was tailing was known for being slippery and cunning, but Auron wasn't exactly considered espionage material. Auron was raised in a rural village, where the easiest way of finding someone was to send smoke into the air. Here, smoke signals are indistinguishable from the rest of what billowed from industrial buildings, so Auron had to rely on his sheer tenacity.

Or, perhaps, just plain luck. Auron caught a glimpse of silver hair disappearing into an oaken doorway.

_'Hah! He's got nowhere to go!' _Desperate to finally catch up to his quarry, Auron sprinted down the street. He entered a door labeled with a sign that read, 'The Bleeding Drake.'

This establishment was a lot different than the rest of the city. Instead of varnished wood or carpet, the floors here were left untreated, with uneven boards and knotted wood causing trouble underfoot. Auron actually found this to be quite comforting in comparison to the rest of the unfeeling city. It reminded him of his rural home.

However, the rest of the tavern was far from comforting. Unruly fellows lined the counter, all hunched over their drinks. Scowls permanently were etched into their faces. Except for one big fellow. He seemed happy with his whiskey. He didn't look like he was drowning his sorrows, just killing time.

A rowdy group of regulars were creating a racket off in the corner. Apparently some betting was going on. However, Auron didn't have time for any of that, he needed to find the man called Aegis. According to his last source, he may have been the fastest way to find his brother.

Metallic coloured hair isn't exactly subtle, so Auron was easily able to spot him. Aegis was in the corner with the betting crowd, sitting smugly in a chair.

He was wearing a dark, loose fitting cloak with a hood hanging loose behind his head. Aegis leaned back in his hardwood chair and adjusted his jacket sleeve. It looked like his focus went toward a young Faunus that was trying her luck at darts. His eyes went from the Faunus, to a table covered in credits, to the dartboard, and then back to the Faunus. He had the most arrogant look in his face. It was the look of a house-cat that has found the secret workings of a birdcage.

The rest of the crowd went silent as the young Faunus girl prepared her throw. The Faunus didn't look the type to go cruising bars, but for some reason she looked confident standing across from the dartboard. She had red hair and bright purple eyes. Her most distinguishable feature was her long bushy tail. It twitched as she studied the dartboard with a knowing look. She weighed her projectile on her fingers. She measured the distance mentally and took note of the shape of the dart. Every person watched with an unbroken stare. The moment had so much intensity that even Auron stopped in his tracks to watch. There must have been a lot of money on that throw.

Then, in a rapid motion, the dart flew from the Faunus' hand. The dart sailed with a perfect spin, and in a smooth clean arc...

**WHACK!**

The dart landed directly in the center of the bulls eye. The tail of the dart quivered slightly before finally remaining still.

Nobody spoke. Nobody moved.

The silence was finally broken by silvery laughter, "Hehehe.. What do you know? She's a natural."

Auron's quarry stood up next to the bounty of credits piled on the table.

"Well, it was a long shot bet, but it looks like I got lucky. Hehe, hey girly, what say we split the earnings 50/50? I can't carry all of this." His laughter continued on.

One of the grouchier tavern goers slowly rose to his feet. He rumbled in a low gravelly voice, "I thought you said she never played before."

"That I did. Right girly? You've never played darts have ya?"

The Faunus was indignant, "My name is Rouge. And no, I have never played before. I just have good aim."

The large irritated man wasn't convinced, "No one who hasn't played darts throws like that. You knew she could hit the bulls eye. You hustled us!"

Aegis acted offended, "Hustled? Oh, I am so sorry. I thought you knew. Squirrel Faunus are known for their excellent depth perception. I don't know about you, but I make it my point to only make deals when I know what I'm getting into. Had I known that you were so ignorant, I wouldn't have bet so much money!" He barely could finish the sentence before he doubled over laughing. Rouge started packing her share of the money into a burlap bag. She didn't seem impressed with Aegis' rude behavior.

_'This doesn't look good... They look like they're gonna tear him apart!' _She thought, feeling the slightest bit of worry for the guy.

"Well," said Aegis after he composed himself, "I'm off to bigger and better things." He reached into his outer jacket and pulled out a large leather bag. In one swoop, he swept up the rest of the cash and pocketed the pouch. The group around him growled.

"Now now," he cooed, "a deal's a deal. You would have been willing to accept my money even though my betting seemed idiotic. Why can't I extend the same courtesy to you?" Aegis continued to giggle to himself.

Auron knew he had to act fast. "Mr. Aegis, I -"

"Aegis is it?" One of the bar regulars interrupted, "Well, we may have had a deal, but I don't think any of us appreciate your sass." The crowd concurred, rising to their feet.

"Wait!" Auron shouted. The crowd stopped. Several faces turned to look at him.

"You a friend of his?" One of them asked.

"Well," Auron started. He didn't know him, but he certainly didn't want them scaring him off or killing him before he was able to ask some questions. "Yes?" The crowd moved closer. They had their resolve. They outnumbered him. They weren't backing down now.

"Huh," Aegis mused, "I don't remember your face, but you already know my name… Eh, either way, since you're giving me this opening, I'd call you 'friend' anytime."

Suddenly, a flash of flame blasted out of Aegis' sleeve, launching what looked like a chain through the air. Aegis snapped his wrist left, so that the chain latched onto the leg of one of the bigger gamblers. Aegis then pulled himself forward, knocking the man prone. He leaped off of his victim and sailed over the entire group of disgruntled tavern regulars, landing on both feet gracefully like some kind of lynx. After a short moment, he released his hold on the large man, still snickering to himself. "For future reference, my 'friends' call me Nero. Keep in touch!"

Another burst of fire sent the end of the chain out of the doorway and around a lamp-post. He then launched away, swinging around the corner and out of sight. His excited whooping slowly faded into the distance.

"Man, what a hoser."

Auron looked at the drunk who had muttered the remark, but he had already passed out with his head on the counter. Besides, he had bigger things to think about.

The crowd of angry gamblers had closed around him. '_Some "friend" this Nero guy turned out to be, leaving me to take the brunt of these brutes.'_ Rouge had also cleverly disappeared in the chaos. _'Well, I'm alone. But there can't be more than a dozen. I should be able to hold my own for a while, but I don't want to be around when the authorities show up. Doesn't look like I have many options though.'_

After a short time of indecision, one of the bigger gamblers finally charged. Auron gripped his weapon, affectionately named "Splitter". As a twelve gauge shotgun outfitted with an axe blade on the stock, there was little room for error. Auron didn't want to kill anyone. His only option was to to use the flat side to stun his foe, which would limit his fighting quite a bit. Auron prepared his arm for a underhand swing, when suddenly-

**WHAM!**

The charging man's legs sailed upward as he tumbled through the air. He collapsed and continued rolling until he skidded to a stop at Auron's feet. Leaning left with his arm outstretched, standing at over six and a half feet tall, was a hulking Bison Faunus. He looked at Auron with a kind smile as he flexed his fingers, causing his knuckles to crack loudly.

"Slow down little man." Rumbled the massive figure, gesturing toward the unconscious attacker. The crowd was taken aback, but they didn't back off. A second man stepped forward and punched the massive figure across the jaw. The blow did nothing but make him angry. The Faunus grabbed the man's wrist, wrenched it to one side, and delivered a headbutt that sent the man sailing halfway across the bar.

The crowd growled. Despite the strength of the new figure, the gamblers seemed to think that their numbers would help them out. Their mistake.

The two fighters instinctively stood back to back to defend themselves against the angry mob. They had balanced and practiced stances, and eyed their foes with calculated stares. Auron hefted 'Splitter' with the bladed edge downward. The mysterious Faunus reached into a holster on his back to pull out his own weapon. It was eerily similar to 'Splitter', as it appeared to be a shotgun axe. However, the axe head had a spike opposite to it, and was fastened to the barrel rather than the stock. As a matter of fact, the shotgun had no stock at all. The axe head was also an odd shape, with the bottom half ending further down than usual.

If the gamblers were intimidated with this show of arms, they didn't show it. Some reached for hidden knives, planks of wood, and baseball bats left lying around the tables. A few even had handguns stowed in their inside pockets. Four of them advanced holding their makeshift weapons, with angry sneers gracing their ugly faces.

They didn't know who they were up against.


	2. Chapter 2 - Leaf on the Wind

Chapter 2: Leaf on the Wind

Rouge looked behind her as she continued to run.  
><em>'Darn, some of em' saw me leave. I thought I was able to get away while that Nero guy made a scene. I feel bad leaving that other guy back there, but I couldn't stay. I have to keep out of trouble while in town. Besides, it is my last night here for a while.'<em>

A collapsing trash can revealed that the goons weren't slowing down anytime soon. Rouge was fast, but these guys knew their area. She wasn't sure how easily she would be able to avoid them.

Then, a gust of air started blowing through the alleyway. "Perfect," she said aloud. She reached to the sides of her red overcoat, unclasped two straps holding sections of folded fabric, and pulled outward. The gust of wind filled the two new found sections of fabric, forming a pair of gliding wings that stretched from her wrists to her ankles. Closing her eyes, Rouge bent the moving winds to her will, allowing her feet to lift off of the ground. After only a few seconds, she was airborne.

When she opened her eyes, the ground was far below, along with the amazed and perplexed goons that had been chasing her. A smile spread across her face. _'__You guys really had no chance. Haha! I'm soaring to the top finally!'_

She hit a warm updraft that sent her up seven stories of a building. She saw many busy office workers wandering around densely clustered cubicles, like a little mouse's maze. One worker dropped a large binder as she floated by. She soared between buildings, allowing her stress to fly away with the wind. There really was no fear in the air. It would always be there to catch you when you fell. It's always moving, soft and comforting, and always changing. Rouge could never understand why so many people had a fear of flying. If you just listen and feel, you can persuade the air to do whatever you desire. You just have to trust your senses and the air around you.

Anyway. She had to start getting her bearings. Why anyone would have an orientation at 3:00 a.m., she had no idea. _'__They must drink a ton of coffee.'_ By flight, she should make it to orientation quite early, if she could only find her way. In the air, things look so different.

Not that it would be difficult to find what was literally given the name 'Beacon'.

And there it was. It wasn't too far from the main city (as a matter of fact it was nearly big enough to be a town itself), so Rouge would be able to make it well before deadline. A few new recruits milled around below, unaware of the girl floating above them. Rouge had to be careful though. Without buildings to stream free air, it would take a fair amount of work to stay airborne. She was a frequent flier, so she wasn't concerned. She also thought it would be a good idea not to cause a scene as she landed. There was no need for extra attention on the first day. In a long slow circular arc, she made her smooth descent. She landed gracefully, with almost no noise at all.

Back at the 'Bleeding Drake', little grace or silence could be accounted for. Auron and his new accomplice were fighting for their lives. It was odd, there seemed to be more and more thugs arriving by the minute. There may have been an upper floor to the establishment where they were all hiding before.

The angry thugs had stopped attacking in waves, as any small group would be easily subdued with swift blunt strikes with the flat side of an axe or the butt of a gun. The enemy would go from full on confidence and cheek in the first second, to pain in regret in the next. By this point, they had moved on to a full blown brawl.

Auron and his friend had changed tactics as well. In the time that the bar junkies had found out that attacking in groups of three-to-four was a bad idea, the pair had picked up their own strategy. Auron would use his close range prowess to strike at foes with the blunt edges of his weapon, disabling them by way of their knees, face, and abdomen. After a solid thrashing, the Bison Faunus would strike from overhead, using his reach to send finishing blows to the enemy. This strategy carried over to the hectic brawl.

Goon after goon threw themselves at these seasoned fighters. They dropped easily, but they were creating some serious breathing room problems, soon Auron and his new ally wouldn't even be able to swing their weapons.

Auron thought fast, _'__This is taking too long. We need to clear a path!'_ His eyes fell on a long rectangular table. _'__It might make for some decent cover!'_

"Hey big fella!" Auron shouted, trying to be heard over the continuous shouting, "Give me a hand with this table!"

"Gotcha!" The bison man replied. He thrust his weapon into the wooden floor, and placed both of his massive hands on either side of the end of the table. His face changed from grim determination to sheer focus. With a grunt, the large Faunus pivoted the table on its side and lifted it up onto one shoulder. _He's carrying the entire table without breaking a sweat! He's even stronger than he looks!_

The bison man then swung the table around in a massive arc. Auron had to dive to the floor to avoid the massive attack. The goons weren't so quick, so nearly all of the remaining gamblers were caught by the flat edge of the huge table.

After that massive attack, no more baddies jumped up to fight. They were all unconscious, or at least pretending to be to avoid more pain. The large Faunus looked at Auron sheepishly, "Sorry about that, should have given you a 'Heads up'. My name's Clay by the way." Auron lifted himself up from the ground. "Don't worry about it. I'm Auron. It's good to meet you." He really wasn't worried, that final swipe saved both of them a lot of trouble. Clay breathed heavily. It looked like that final attack took a lot out of him after all. It was understandable. He lifted the twelve foot long table and swung it to hit at least a half dozen thugs at once. How did he manage do that?

Suddenly, the man that Nero tripped appeared from behind the counter. He was holding an ornate-looking revolver in his hands, and had a look of pure rage on his face. He took aim at Clay.

Auron's instincts took over. He dove in front of Clay and tightened his focus. Auron activated his semblance. His body changed its form, his complexion going from the tanned woodsman skin that it was to a covering of jade coloured stone. The mad gunman's revolver fired, sending a custom made bullet straight for Auron. The projectile ricocheted harmlessly off of his impenetrable hide. Auron responded in kind, bringing his loaded gun up to his hip level to return fire.

**BACKOOM!**

The man flew backward into the doors back cabinets and dropped to the ground. A collection of bottles filled with cheap alcohol followed after him, falling out of the cupboard. He was still breathing. Auron had used a thunder-dust round, so this man wouldn't get up for a long while.

"We best get out of here before someone shows up to find where those shots came from," Auron suggested.

"Fine with me. I have an orientation to get to at 3:00 anyway."

Auron tilted his head to one side, "Really? Well, I guess by now it should be obvious. You're becoming a recruit at Beacon."

"That I am. You look like you'd do well at Beacon too."

Auron nodded. "Already passed the entrance exam. I was hoping to get this errand done before I made the trip over, but I guess my lead got away."

Clay raised an eyebrow. "Who was that Nero guy anyway?"

"Some crime junkie. I was hoping he had some answers. Anyway. I don't want to bore you with my personal life after just meeting me. Let's just head to the academy."

Clay nodded as they wandered out of the ruined tavern. Auron was glad he didn't press further. He'd prefer that his missing brother would not become common knowledge. He was upset that he had lost Nero, but Beacon Academy had many resources that he could use to pick up the trail again.


	3. Chapter 3 - Branching Out

Chapter 3: Branching Out

Clay looked at his old jacket sadly. It was already quite used, as he often did fieldwork while wearing it, but that bar-fight really pushed it over the edge. New tears and gashes blemished the torso, and the hem was ripped in several places. He'd need a new one before orientation began. Fortunately, his walk with Auron lead him through a marketplace. All sorts of vendors lined the streets, selling pastries, jewelry, fruits, and clothing. They were ahead of schedule, so Auron agreed to wait for him as he went to buy a new jacket.

Clay browsed the shelves of a street vendor named Larz. This seller was a short, stern-faced man who kept a close eye on every customer. He tapped his fingers against his seat constantly, his eyes occasionally darting from shelf to shelf, almost as if he was mentally taking inventory again and again. Clay ducked under a thin support beam holding up the cloth ceiling. Not a lot of choices here suited him. The jackets sold here had mostly bright colours, not really Clay's style. This wasn't even factoring in Clay's enormous size. He made sure to carefully replace every article back how it was when ever he moved on, as the owner looked like a strict individual. Finally, he found what he was looking for. A sturdy brown jacket, and it was his size! What luck!

Clay hurried over to the counter, being careful not to knock over any support beams. He placed the jacket on the counter and asked Larz, "How much?"

Larz's response was instant, "30 lien."

Clay winced. The price was a little steep, but he could understand. It takes a lot of material to make a jacket of this size. It was sturdy material too, it would last a while. Still, 30 credits was still a larger sum than he had hoped. '_Oh well.'_ Clay dug into his pockets to pay the fee. He pulled out a crumpled wad of bills, and counted them out. '_...25, 26, 27, 28? What? I was sure I had more... Shouldn't have stopped in that tavern. Maybe I have some more in my back pocket.'_

Larz frowned. He was getting impatient.

_'Nothing.' _Clay let out a soft sigh.

The shopkeeper had had enough. "Do you have the money or don't you?!" He barked angrily.

"Well, actually..."

"Actually what? Speak up!"

"...I'm two lien short..."

"Well then why are you wasting my time? Go on, go!"

Clay was crestfallen. He needed that jacket for field missions, and there probably wouldn't be another vendor with a jacket that size. He slowly folded the duster coat up and started to walk back.

But then the shrewd salesman spoke up, "Wait. What about that?"

_'What?'_ Clay stopped to look back.

"What's that around your neck?"

Clay looked down to his chest. A simple iron chain hung there. It wasn't worth much, but it meant a lot to him. It had previously belonged to his father.

"Every link must remain sturdy for the chain to do it's job," His father had said, "Remember the links before you, as well as the ones that come ahead. They all rely on you to remain strong."

Larz was staring at the necklace as well. "If you add in that chain, we can cut a deal," He explained.

Clay was torn. This chain was supposed to stay with him throughout the whole stay at Beacon. He couldn't give it up! But if he didn't get this jacket, it would affect his performance during field work. He didn't know what to do.

"This jacket is the only one of its kind you could find around here. It could be yours if you just throw in that chain. I've been meaning to pick one up, but I've been too busy. I know that it isn't worth a lot, but for the convenience I'll cut you a break. Looks like it's your lucky day."

Clay considered the offer. He knew he desperately needed the jacket for hunting, but he did not know if it was worth losing his chain. Sure it wasn't worth much money, but it was his. To him, this chain symbolized responsibility, as it was his father's chain when it was his duty to provide for the family. When Clay became the man of the house after his father disappeared, he wore the chain and assumed the responsibility. However, he knew he would be foolish to pass a deal like this up. He reached for the clasp behind his neck.

Suddenly, a gentle hand was holding his wrist. Clay froze. A subtle voice whispered from behind him.

"It's a shame that so few people see the value in a sturdy chain."

Clay felt a pang of panic in the back of his mind but remained still. He had always hated having his back to others. He thought it may have been one of the thugs from earlier come to take revenge. He was surprised when he felt a small folded pile of bills inserted into the palm of his hand. Then, the light grasp around Clay's wrist disappeared. Clay spun to see who had given him this money, but by the time he looked, the person was gone.

Larz was confused, "What are you doing? Are you gonna buy the duster or what?" Apparently he hadn't seen the fellow either.

Clay pulled together the 30 lien. "Well. How about that." Larz clucked. "You did have the money on ya. This is why I always keep my money in the same place. You never want to just lose cash. It's a shame, you woulda saved me a lot of time if you gave me that chain. Hum... Anyway, pleasure doing business with ya." Larz smiled disingenuously as Clay turned to leave.

Clay wandered back out of the clothing vendor's tent wearing his new dirt-brown duster coat. He scanned the nighttime crowd, but he couldn't hope to find someone he hadn't seen before. However, his voice did seem eerily familiar.

Auron's voice dragged Clay back to reality, "Hey, Clay! We're burning the night away."

_'Well, there's no sense in dwelling on it. He didn't want to be seen, so I guess the least I can do is not look too hard.'_

They left right afterward. Orientation was in an hour, and from what they heard, good spots are scarce unless you get there earlier. They didn't want to miss a thing.

Rouge wandered into the near empty auditorium. She must have been there an hour early. A few keen students had arrived even earlier, but they were too stuffy for Rouge's tastes. All they were talking about was their "academic prowess" and their "long heritage of noblemen". Rouge instead decided to find a good spot, preferably away from the other boring students.

She looked around. Most of the students looked like they planned on standing near the front of the stage rather than sit up on on the bleachers. _'__What a bunch of fuddy-duddies.'_ She wanted a view. Her eyes scanned upward. There were empty bleachers even higher up, but they didn't seem to fit the bill either. Her gaze finally met the high arches above the stage. Small birds chirped as they flew by the top.

_'That's more like it!'_

After a quick look-around to see if anyone was watching, Rouge darted behind one of the arches. By grabbing hold of the ornate engravings in the side, she was able to scale the structure swiftly and silently. The building was so tall, the wind started howling before she was even halfway up. No one noticed as Rouge finally finished ascending the slope. She looked down on the tiny people below. '_Well, I'll be here awhile, but I'll be able to watch the crowds roll in in the meantime. Just like at my old job.'_

Rouge barely had time to start reminiscing about her past life in the circus before a voice interrupted her daydreaming.

"Nice seats, eh?"

"**Gah!**" Rouge nearly leaped from the building in fright. _'__Who-?'_

She turned to see the one who's voice snapped her out of her nostalgic trance. It appeared that another person made the ludicrous climb to the top of the tower. Who was it?

_'Nah... It couldn't be...'_

"How about that… You're that Roo-j girl from before. How ya been girly?"


	4. Chapter 4 - Budding

Chapter 4: Budding

Auron and Clay finally made it. The glory of Beacon Academy was theirs to behold - as well as the hundreds of students that were walking in with them.

_'We'll never get a good spot like this,'_ thought Auron. He stared at Clay with a sarcastic face.

Clay tried his hardest to look innocent. "What?"

"Mister 'fashion' over here needed _just_ the right jacket, didn't he?" Auron snarked.

"Hey, I thought we had time." Clay retorted. Auron's stare remained.

"It's hard finding clothes my size," Clay argued. Auron raised an eyebrow.

"... Nothing looks good on me unless it's brown." Clay continued. Auron just shook his head.

Clay muttered under his breath, "We still made it. I don't see what the big deal is..."

Auron turned to look at him, but Clay looked as if nothing happened so Auron just shook it off and continued.

The area around the stage was packed, and students craned their necks to see what was happening. Clay needn't have bothered. At six-foot-seven, he was a good head and shoulders above everyone else. He looked down at Auron, who was struggling just like the others. '_Ohh, that's why he's so upset.'_

"So," Clay started, "...You want a boost or something?"

"...What?" Auron replied.

"You know, so you can see."

"...Are you making fun of me?"

Clay was confused, "What? No. I just thought you might want some help."

Auron was flabbergasted, "That doesn't even makes sense. I'm not even short. I'm like, six feet almost."

Now it was Clay's turn to look skeptical, "You're not six feet."

"I'm pretty close."

"Naw, you're like five-and a half."

Suddenly, a large Wolf Faunus in a black trenchcoat spoke up, "Hey, you! Are you making fun of short people?"

Clay responded hastily to the wolf faunus, "No! I'm just trying to help him."

"Being condescending is no way to help short people," The other Faunus continued.

Auron was starting to lose it, "I keep telling you, I'm not short! Not even a little bit!"

"I wasn't trying to be condescending," Clay explained, his voice growing thick with frustration, "I was only trying to help him see better."

The Faunus remained preaching on his soapbox, "Now now, our height is not something we can just lord over people. We have to be accepting of all body types. Just because he's short, that doesn't mean that you're better than him."

Auron had had enough! His voice exploded out, "For the last time, **I AM NOT SHORT!**"

His voice bellowed out, hushing the crowd around him. The students were no longer looking toward the stage. Hundreds of eyes bored into the - quite frankly, above average-sized man. Auron's shout was so loud, it could be heard out to the top of the stage's tall facade.

Up on the tower, two figures sat weathering the wind. Neither had spoken for a few minutes. "Soooo," said Rouge to finally break the silence, "What brings you here? If you don't mind my asking."

"What does it look like?" Nero answered cheekily, "I'm a new recruit, just like the rest of you."

"It's just that you appeared to be a different person last time, not one to be here at all." Although she was curious, Rouge kind of regretted saying that. _'Way to make an impression.'_

Nero turned his head to the side, "I make it my point to be whomever I need to be. Anyway, you're one to talk, little miss 'Darts'."

"That was a 'one last night' thing," Rouge pouted, getting a bit defensive.

"I don't judge," Nero responded calmly, "It's good to be able to shift gears so quickly."

Rouge sighed a little in relief, "That's good at least." She looked down at the specks of people below. "Good eye though. I've never met anyone who kept up with me."

Nero grinned at that, "Never underestimate the petty thief. Like those gamblers." Nero began chuckling again.

"They really had no idea did they?" Rouge added, smiling cheekily.

Suddenly, Rouge's ears perked up. "Did you hear that?" She turned her head toward the crowd. It sounded like an angry yell. "Sounds like someone is a bit upset."

Nero squinted, "Yeah… It sounded oddly familiar."

"Familiar?" Rouge repeated. She looked back at him a little quizzically.

Nero racked his brain for a moment. "Ehh, I can't place it. Oh well, it's probabl-oof!"

Nero's speech was cut off by Rouge as she elbowed his ribs. Rouge held a finger up to her mouth, as the world famous Professor Ozpin was on the stage. He was preparing to give the orientation speech.

The stoic figure of Professor Ozpin walked up to a circular microphone. He limped as he walked, with a silver and black cane to give him stability. Despite the limp, he held himself with an air of dignity.

"New students of Beacon Academy," His no-nonsense voice echoing through the sound system quieted the busy crowd instantly. "You have journeyed here to acquire knowledge, to perfect your skills and acquire new abilities. When you have reached your goals here, you plan on pledging yourselves to the protection of the people. However, when I look amongst the crowd, all I see is wasted energy - a need of purpose and direction. You believe that this accumulation of knowledge will give you this. Your time at this school will prove that knowledge can only get you so far. It is up to you to take the first step."

Ozpin's assistant, Glynda Goodwitch, took his place at the microphone. "You will gather in the ballroom tonight," She said, "Your initiation is first thing tomorrow morning. Be ready." She then raised her hand to her mouth to yawn. As she walked away from the microphone, she muttered to herself about changing the orientation to a better time from now on.

"Hm," Nero quipped, "I'm gonna be honest. No matter who's talking, a thirty second speech wasn't really worth the effort climbing the tower."


	5. Chapter 5 - The Shell

Chapter 5 - The Shell:

_'It's amazing how many personalities can brought forth by other people. Some start acting out in in a crowd - bathing in the attention, drinking in the odd looks and laughter. These extroverts feed from the light of the other's eyes. Some stay near the centre of the group. They attempt to keep their dignity intact, showing only their most impressive sides, and playing down their shortcomings. They polish up their speeches and put up a facade of indifference. Others will shut everyone else out and move to the outskirts of a group. They close their eyes, keep their nose down, and wait for the social earthquake to pass. Me? I sit back, and I watch them all.'_

Nero followed the ocean of people into the ballroom. Every personality he listed was present in the turbulent crowd of students. He didn't make conversation. Instead he tuned his ears to listen to different conversations in the crowd.

"Come on Yasu! It's the first day at the Academy," One recruit was saying, "We need to have a way to remember it. Stop being so difficult! Get your hand away from the lense."

"Can you please stop? Not now," Yasu protested, "Hadia, it's 3:00 a.m. I'm in no shape to be photogenic. No, I don't want a picture."

"Aw, come on Mr. Gremlin…"

Nero rolled his eyes and switched conversations.

"And he just yelled out in front of everyone," a low voice was saying, "I can understand his frustrations, that other guy was being really rude. Honestly, I don't understand some people."

A higher voice responded happily, "I don't know, it looked like he was sincerely trying to help out."

"Really Dyanne?" The low voice pondered, "How can you tell just by looking?"

"Oh, I pick up on things," came the cutesy reply.

_'Hm… he's probably talking about that shout from before… I wonder who it was…'_ Nero continued scanning the sea of voices.

"Wow, look at this crowd," Another one said, "I wonder how many will make it through initiation."

"I would say that around 86% will move on tomorrow," Someone responded in a nasal tone, "As difficult as the initiation is, every student here has passed the entrance exam, which speaks volumes of their skills and tenacity."

"It's all numbers with you, isn't it?"

A flat voice grunted, "Ugh…"

"What's up?" Another asked.

"This neighborhood used to be nice."

"What do you mean?"

"Look at all of them. Who said they could be here?"

"Who? Stop being so cryptic!"

"The Faunus you dunce! The Academy shouldn't let criminals like them in the school."

"Wait there are White Fang members here?"

"Probably. I'd say that the majority of the animals you see here are connected to them somehow."

Nero grimaced. '_That idiot… You're worse scum than any criminal I've met. The Faunus aren't the problem. The White Fang isn't even the problem - It's people like YOU. If trash like you didn't keep calling them animals, then there would be no conflict. Every act starts with an emotion, and emotion breeds easily. People gravitate towards hate, and those hateful feelings lead to hateful actions.'_

Something jerked him from his soliloquy. His name being called from somewhere. It was unsettling, as few people knew him by name, much less by his _first_ name.

"Nero... **Nero!**"

_'Oh right... 'Darts'.'_

"Did you hear anything that I said?" She continued to say, hands now resting at her hips as she was leaning to the side to get a better look at him.

Nero put up a smile, skillfully rebuilding his facade of smugness, "Not a word, girly." Rouge frowned.

"Meanie." She grumbled.

It was odd. Why did he decide to give out his first name so readily? Why now? Before, he would never have given anyone his identity. Now he told his first name - a name he hadn't spoken in years - to a random stranger, while in the same room as about a dozen hooligans that wanted him _dead_.

_Am I losing my edge?_

A jab to the diaphragm brought him back to reality once again.

"Ow," He gasped.

"Pay attention! Geez!" Rouge had had enough of being ignored. '_How I ended up with this jerk, I have no idea._ _One moment, he's as chatty as a parakeet. The next, he blanks out to nothing!'_

"Yeesh, what's your deal?" She said aloud then sighed, "It's like you're asleep or something."

"Well, you can't expect me not to be a little tired," Nero argued, "It's like, 3:30 in the morning, and I am still yet to find where I'm sleeping."

"The ballroom," Rouge chastised, "Weren't you listening?"

Nero lowered his eyelids. He wasn't used to being told what's what by others.

"What kind of Battle Academy has a ballroom anyway?" Nero said to change the subject, "How much use is learning how to waltz to a Huntsman?"

"You can't fight all the time, Nero," Rouge rebounded, "Sometimes you need to appreciate what you fight for. Besides, this is a school, not some military barracks."

"Can't I just appreciate what I fight for without dancing in 3-4 time?" Nero complained, "Why not like, 7-8 time, or 5-8 time? Better still, slap down some cardboard and start break-dancing."

Rouge laughed at that. She was beginning to understand why she hung out with Nero.

"Or, if you want to be practical, try out yoga. It's worked wonders for my fig-" His know-it-all voice was cut off and replaced with a stifled yelp. His arm went out to stop Rouge and pull her back behind a pillar. His half smiling face turned to a wide-eyed and worrisome one.

"What are you doing?!" She shouted.

"Shh," He whispered harshly, "It's him."

She tried to keep from shouting, "Who?!"

"That guy from the bar," Nero pointed, "The guy in green over there."

They both looked around the pillar. There he was, off in the crowd. The man wandered in with the rest of the recruits, with a somber look on his face. Nero wasn't sure what that guy wanted, but he knew that he would be sore after the incident at the tavern. _Was he here looking for me? How did he find me so easily?_ The green clad man was speaking in a hurried whisper to another recruit - a large Bison Faunus.

_'Oh, no.'_

Auron thought he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to look, but it looked like he was mistaken. He waved it off. He was too busy trying to forget the last few minutes. "Honestly, I guess it was the stressful day," He was saying, "I'm sorry for snapping like that. I'm not normally so wound up."

Fortunately, Clay was very forgiving, "I completely understand. You were probably still on 'attack-mode' after the 'Bleeding-Drake' incident."

Auron was glad that Clay forgave him, but the argument at orientation probably didn't do well for a first impression to the rest of the recruits.

The repeat of the tavern's name brought back his purpose for joining the school - his missing brother. '_If only I'd caught up with that Nero character._ _Well, there's no sense in moping now. This school probably has better resources for finding missing persons than looking to underground crime lords for help.'_ He unpacked his dufflebag and prepared his bed roll

"So, we're going to sleep now at 4:00 a.m.," Clay started, "And then initiation is at 7:00 a.m. right? That's only three hours of sleep."

"Yup," Auron responded curtly.

"Hm…" Once he had this information spelled out, Clay felt no need to talk. Sleep was precious, as any farmer would agree, and he knew that initiation would need every ounce of his focus.


	6. Chapter 6 - Back To His Roots

**Chapter 6 - Back To His Roots:**

Auron rubbed his eyes. His lumberjack sleep cycle had awoken him before any of the other students - the clock read 5:13 a.m. Recruits were in their rucksacks all around him, still dead asleep. Except Clay. Clay was already preparing his bandoleer and cleaning his weapon.

"Hey, you're already up?" Auron whispered, still blinking the sleep out of his eyes.

"Yup, I always was an early riser," Clay answered, "A life on a farm will do that for ya."

"Country guy huh? Me too, how about that…"

Auron started preparing for the day as well. He reached into his dufflebag and removed a thermos full of water, a fire dust shotgun round, and a small tin. He removed the lid of the tin to reveal the pleasant scent of green tea. He inhaled deeply. That's the stuff, He thought as his eyes rolled back into his head.

He poured water from his canteen into his thermos until it was about one quarter from the top. He then carefully removed the casing from the dust round. This was a trick he had picked up early on during his woodcutting career. By removing the dust pellet projectiles from within the shell, they could be activated in a safe manner by his aura. The immense heat would be easily controlled, since the dust was not completely in its powdered form. The dust was still quite powerful, so he only needed about five to six pellets. One shotgun round could last him a whole week in the woods.

Auron carefully poured the dust pellets into a hollow base in the bottom of his thermos. Through careful concentration, he then slowly activated each pellet of red dust. After around fifteen seconds, steam started to rise from the insulated thermos. All he had to do then was drop in a tea bag, and then wait for it to steep. He made sure to put the remaining dust pellets back into the used shell for future use.

"Neat," Came the reply from Clay.

Auron took a sip. _'This is the best way to start a day.'_

Clay carefully cleaned "The Harvester." He needed it to be in its best shape for initiation today. Not that he neglected to clean it otherwise. He always kept his equipment in functional working order. This included sharpening the bearded blade of his axe, cleaning the barrel of his gun, and making sure that his bandoleer was organized. His bandoleer has an extensive length due to his large frame, which allowed for a wide variety of dust rounds. Organizing it may take a while, but it allows for quick changes in tactics without taking the time to actively look for the preferred type of shot.

Fortunately, Clay, as he said, was an early riser, so he had plenty of time to organize the shells. He didn't feel that leaving his bed roll area was a good idea - he would probably wake the other recruits trying to sneak past. So, he decided to organize his things as he waited for the rest of the students to awaken.

_'I wonder which regiment I'll be joining…'_ He pondered to himself._ 'I've heard rumors about how the school organizes the recruits, but they are so mixed up, I'm not sure which method is true. I'm gonna go with personality testing. That's probably the best way they could do it. That way, the group could work together as a team. Perhaps they factor in the skill level of each participant too, with the stronger students being paired up with less skilled ones for an incentive to grow.'_

He looked at Auron sipping his tea. _'He'd make a valued teammate. Heck, we already know how to fight as a team.'_

But the odds seemed slim. There were so many students around him, and any of them could end up being his teammate. Who would his team be?

Rouge finally awoke. When she looked at the clock, it read 6:04 a.m. _'Perfect! Just enough time to get ready.'_ Her tail uncoiled from her sleep. She had used it to keep her warm during the night; it was as big and puffy as a cloud. She reached to her utility belt. This utility belt had been invaluable in her journey to beacon. With it, she was able to carry all of her belongings while still having her hands free - quite useful when one has plans for gliding. In it, she carried all sorts of useful tools, such as special spike attachments that could fit into her boots for climbing. It also had pockets for dust tipped arrowheads and other components for making crossbow bolts. But at it's side was a holster with one of Rouge's favorite possessions - Scarlet Queen.

This weapon was a crossbow that fit onto her arm like a bracer. It's bladed metal arms lack a string, for they hide a fantastic secret. On the top of the crossbow, there lies a slot for a dust cartridge to be filled with magnetic dust. By using the metal arms of Scarlet Queen, the energy of the dust is transferred and focused into a thin beam. The beam acts as a drawstring with adjustable strength - the stronger the shot, the longer it takes to pull it back. This mechanic can be used for devastating range, power, and accuracy. Using the straps on the side, she fastened it to her arm.

Using a crossbow with untethered arms has another useful feature. Rouge pressed a button on the handle, causing the arms to fold up and forward. The metal arms now formed a two-pronged, claw-like sickles. She swung her bracer arm a few times to become re-accustomed to her weapon. It was like an extension of her own arm.

_'I have never used Scarlet Queen as a weapon before,' _Rouge thought, _'At least, not with the intent of killing.' _She pondered this for a time. The primary prey of a huntress was the Grimm. These monsters weren't anything that she would put in the same category as most living things. _'Still, it's just weird. I hope I don't crack under pressure...' _She shook her head. Rouge knew that she flourished in stressful situations - her time in the circus made sure of that. _'It'll be good to finally use my skills to help people out rather than for others' entertainment.' _Her worries melted away to leave pure excitement._ 'This will probably be the most fun I've had in a long time! Here's to the next 4 years!'_

Nero hadn't slept. He couldn't afford to sleep, not while that green-shirted guy was still around looking for him. Instead, he waited and hid until everyone was asleep.

At the turn of the hour, he pulled up his hood, and snuck away from the ballroom. His skills as a practiced thief allowed him to sneak out into the courtyard without waking any recruits. He looked back. The room was cluttered with the sleeping and unaware recruits of Beacon Academy._ 'There could be a bombing and they wouldn't wake up.' _He looked at all of the unguarded equipment on the floor.

_'I could have a field day right now.'_

He shook his head. The life of thieving was behind him now. 'You can't move on with one foot still in the house,' He said to himself silently. He was a Huntsman now - or a Huntsman-in-training. He wouldn't make it further in his goals my going back to old habits.

Nero shut out the past. With the recent events, his thoughts had been muddled. He needed a distraction.

He decided to keep his mind occupied with an exercise. He lowered his right arm, allowing the chain on the inside of his sleeve to slide down quietly. Before it touched the ground, he brought his arm up, lifting the chain in a wide swing. The force of this motion held the chain links in place, minimizing any sounds they would make. The chain continued to slide free until it was completely exposed, so that Nero could use both of his hands to control its swings. This was Nero's tool of choice - Doloraduro.

He continued to spin both ends around his body as he started to walk around the courtyard. Moonlight filtered down from the sky, illuminating the area. A stone figure of an angel that stood in the center of the courtyard, casting a vague shadow on the ground.

This chain was equipped with bladed daggers shackled to either end. The the blades were curved to allow for better aerodynamics, and to allow for a better grip while going for a grappling shot. Nero had forged them himself.

_'Am I losing my edge? I gave out my name. I don't tell people my name.'_

Nero liked to practice at night. The silence helped him focus, and the incentive of keeping quiet made his swings controlled, constant, and stealthy. The only issue was that he couldn't use Doloraduro's defining feature. Doloraduro was a combination of words from a long dead language; it meant Burning Pain.

_'Hateful feelings lead to hateful actions.'_

Nero clenched his eyes tight to somehow quiet his mind.

Within the curve of each blade of Doloraduro was a thin slot leading to a narrow hollow area, and beneath the slot was a cartridge full of red dust. When this dust is activated, the flame travels through the hollow insides and out of the narrow opening, creating jet propulsion. Once the flame starts blasting, the chains can gain amazing speed in seconds. However, using the flame would cause too much noise for this time of night. Instead of using his flames, he decided to step up his practice.

_'I sit back, and watch.'_

He added in a pivot turn between each of his swings. This was one of his typical exercises; it helped build coordination, multitasking skills, and reflex control. These are the very basics of controlling a chain. He practiced this way ever since he was young, usually to pass away the boring hours alone.

_**Shut everyone else out.**_

In the silence of night, his thoughts echoed loudest of all. _'What are you doing here? 'Hiding away from everyone else?'_ He chastised himself, _'Are you afraid of the green clad man?'_

_**People gravitate toward hate...**_

He grimaced at himself. This wasn't fear, this was logic. That green guy had something against him, so he obviously had to avoid being found. He was after him for causing trouble in the tavern. He came to talk, and he got a fight. _'I basically threw him to a bunch of starving wolves.'_

_**...People like YOU.**_

_'He volunteered for it anyway. What did he even want back at the tavern? Did he know about my past?'_

Nero's swings started to speed up.

_'How did he find me? Did that big guy tell him? Did the big guy see me? And did he squeal on me? How rude is that? I helped him out! How dare he!?'_

_**…****criminal…**_

_'So what if I'm a criminal? It's a scary world, you have to use every resource to get by! Why did I even give him that money? I had nothing to gain. Am I getting soft?'_

_**Am I losing my edge?...**_

_'What was I doing?'_

_**Hateful feelings…**_

_'How did he find me?!'_

_**Shut everyone else out…**_

_'I told them my name! My first name!'_

_**People … hate…**_

_'How could I be so careless?!'_

_**...People like YOU!**_

"**AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"**

With a frenzied shout, Nero leaps from his spinning stance and lashed out with Doloraduro. A bladed end stabbed upwards towards the centerpiece of the courtyard with a streak of scarlet flame blasting behind it.

***KCHING!…* ***_clink, clink_*

The crescent halo of the angelic statue was sent sailing off into the corner, skidding off of the cobblestones.

Nero recoiled from his sudden attack. Why did he do that? He looked back at the ballroom. No motion could be seen, but he could have awakened someone. He decided to move out of there quickly. He leaped down the steps to find a place to rest until morning, away from prying eyes. He needed time alone, but he would be back for initiation in the morning.


	7. Chapter 7 - Treeline

**Chapter 7 - Treeline:**

Excitement wasn't the exact word that Auron would have used to describe how he felt about the beginning portion of the Hunters exam. Stepping onto a launch plate and then flung into the thick canopy of the forest below? That simply gave him images of something going wrong on his descent, creating a smear against a tree or creating a crater on the forest floor. Regardless, he stepped onto the platform that sat in line with the other applicants. He placed himself between a stick-thin frame of a boy that maybe around his age, and a faunus with a set of thin deer-like antlers sprouting from his head.

He reached a hand back to brush his fingertips over the axe head of Splitter. This was a subconscious gesture he did when he was nervous or unsure of something. He cast his gaze to the thick forest below he was about to be catapulted. The faint buzzing sound of the instructor's voice was just at the edge of his hearing, and was vastly drowned out by his own thoughts. His mind wandered to his reason for becoming a hunter; just what he will do once he has that title? Just where he will begin his search? As his hand dropped back down to his side, Auron turned his head to look down along the line. He took note of each of the applicants. He knew that at some point, he would have to run into three of them. From there they would form their supposed teams and complete the exam. For him it would be easy to navigate the forest and possibly even find another person, but he had no idea who for the most part.

"And with that we begin. Good luck, and happy flying." That line alone caught Auron's attention and caused him to snap his head around and look at the instructor with wide eyes.

"Wait, I mi-"

With no further warning, the Hunters in Training were launched one after the other, in quick succession, along the line. Auron was flung high into the air, and over the canopy of trees with a shout of surprise that held a small portion of panic. With squinted eyes to keep them from drying out, he wind-milled in the air for a moment until he was able to level out as best as he could. Trees flew past under him, as his mind raced to figure out just what to do.

The back of his mind was simply a-buzz as he began to recall a memory from when he was younger when he watched his brother climb a massive oak tree. On his way back down, however, he had used the very same axe Auron has now to slow his fall and return him safely to the ground.

Now knowing what to do, the young man reached back and unslung Splitter in a smooth motion. The lumberjack brought his axe up to his shoulder. Bracing himself however he could - as he was still flying through the air - Auron squeezed the trigger and fired a round charged with Wind Dust. The kick-back pushed against his shoulder and slowed him a small amount. He fired again, and he slowed further. He began to fall towards the trees at a steeper angle than he was before. "Okay. 'Little more,"

Auron waited and watched as the trees came up to greet him. He aimed down to fire again as he began to fall through the upper branches, and into the thick sea of leaves. The back blast from the shell pushed back against him and slowed his fall even further. A thick branch formed through the leaves - this served as the perfect opportunity for Auron to land. Sure it wasn't solid ground, but it was better than being in mid-air.

He angled himself towards the branch as he fired one last round. With that final push that slowed his descent, Auron touched down upon the branch with a booted foot and swayed ever so slightly. He flailed slightly, and leaned forward again to balance himself. Holding axe out to his side, he finally stood still upon the branch that he had chosen as his landing platform.

A heavy breath left his lungs that he didn't know he was holding in, while those green hued eyes looked to the tree and then down to the forest floor. "Never taking that airline again."

Slinging Splitter back over his shoulder once again, he began the much slower and easier pace of climbing down out of the tree. At this point he didn't want to waste any time and end up washing himself out by not finding a team or completing their objective. At which point he wished he had paid more attention as to _just _what that objective was...


	8. Chapter 8 - The Bark Is Worse

**Chapter 8: The Bark is Worse Than It's Bite**

Clay followed a group of fellow students out of the ballroom and onto a path. He assumed that they were headed to the initiation test - or at the very least, breakfast.

"I hope _they_ know where they are going."

Though he had been to the city before, Clay found it difficult to find his way around. He had grown up on a farm where the tallest thing for miles was his barn. Now that he was at Beacon, he felt small for the first time in his life.

Clay took in the scenery as he walked. He wondered if he should have stuck with Auron. He figured he had given him enough trouble as it was, so perhaps it would be best to explore on his own for the time being. Clay overheard some of the other students talking about the test and then it hit him.

"Yeah, I heard the test is in the Emerald Forest."

He began to panic.

_"The Emerald Forest is at least 50 miles away. The only way to get there in any reasonable amount of time would be by….**airship**…."_

Clay cringed at the thought. He had always been afraid of flying. The thought of not having his boots on the ground made him feel vulnerable. As his anxiety rose, he reached for his Harvester. He looked into the polished ax blade and stared at his reflection.

"You are Clay Brun. You have killed grimm three times your size. You can push a plow without the need of pull horse. It is your job, no...your responsibility to protect those around you. You can't do that when you are scared."

Painful memories from his past begin to surface. Clay had never intended to be a huntsman when he was growing up. After his father left his mother, his 3 younger sisters and him, Clay had to step up and run the farm. He worked long hours since he was a young man to provide for his family. He never encountered a Grimm till he was 18.

Clay was chopping firewood out in the barn when he heard the sound of wood splintering and his family screaming. He bolted outside. He saw his mother and two of his sisters running toward him sobbing uncontrollably. Clay found himself wondering where his other sister was, until he saw a black mass emerging from the rubble of his farmhouse. He was able to discern the identity of the creature; it was a massive Ursa, blood still caking its maw. The beast turned its attention to Clay and began to charge. Fueled by rage and grief, Clay gripped his wood splitting axe with his right hand and walked slowly toward the Grimm. With his left arm outstretched, Clay stopped the Ursa in its tracks, both figures skidding to a halt. Clay grabbed the Ursa by the ear and drove its head into the ground. With his free hand, he brought the axe blade down on the beast's neck, ending the battle.

With his farm house destroyed and one of his sisters now gone, Clay and his family moved to Vale to find work and safe place to call home. With his mother working as a seamstress, and his sisters off at school for the first time, Clay enrolled himself at Beacon. He wanted to become even stronger so that he could protect those he cares about. He never wanted to lose anyone ever again.

Clay followed the group to the landing pad. His group was one of the first to arrive. He helped himself to a seat, and strapped himself in as tight as his own large frame would allow. He sat patiently as the rest of the students eventually arrived. Clay managed to spot Auron as he boarded the ship. He thought about waving, but he didn't want to embarrass him. Shortly after that, the ship was packed with nervous students, all eager to start the test. Clay just tried his best to stay calm.

The trip was not as bad as he had expected, little to no turbulence and by keeping his focus on the floor of the ship, he didn't have to face his fear of heights. He followed the rest of the student out the the edge of a sheer cliff overlooking the forest.

"So much for overcoming my fear…"

Clay took his place on one of the many platforms that lined the the edge, though he was unsure as to what they were for. Over the roar of the airship taking off and the chattering of the other students, Clay managed to make out the words "_launch_" and "_landing strategy._"

"Fantastic. More flying…"

One by one, each student was launched into the air, tumbling and flipping, using their individual strategies to orient themselves. Then with a loud **PING**, Clay too was catapulted into the air.

A moment of sheer panic rushed over him as he tried to push past the fear and the anxiety.

"Think, you need to land somehow. Calm down and think!"

Clay spotted his target, a large redwood tree. He lined up his body so he was flying straight at it. At the last moment, he activated his semblance, a rush of strength and durability, and slammed into the tree broadside, uprooting the tree from the ground and riding it down. He rolled just as the tree collapsed, ending flat on his back.

"Any landing you can walk away from I guess…"


	9. Chapter 9 - In Bloom

Chapter 9: In Bloom

"For years you have trained to become warriors. Today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest." Professor Ozpin began his speech of the morning as the new students filed out in a row. The cliff appeared daunting but heights didn't phase Rouge one bit. Ozpin continued on about the abilities and how the students are still just initiates. He then went on to address the issues of partners and teammates. "These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. It's in your best interest to be paired with someone whom you can work well. With that said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

_'The next four years huh, that's a long while. I hope that I have a good partner, wouldn't want anything to impair our teamwork. Maybe that Nero guy… Well, he is a little too spacey for me at times.'_ Rouge thought as she listened to Professor Ozpin's speech of the morning. Get to the northern part of the forest, Find the temple, get the relic, and not die. Plain and simple.

"Now take your positions." As soon as he finished, Rouge can feel the adrenaline begin to pump through her veins.

She began preparing her launch stance. For once she won't be shooting out of a cannon or anything! Rouge felt how imminent this was going to be, she shook off her nerves, but this was exciting! _'This is it!'_ she thought. She took out her pair of goggles to help keep the force of the wind out of her eyes. **"This is gonna be a blast!"** She shouted as she was launched off the cliff. _'Oh, that would've been funnier if I was being shot out of a cannon...'_

She tumbled through the air and as soon as she figured out when to land she started to manipulating the wind to help her decelerate. She landed on a long thick branch in the middle of a tall tree. She smiled and went into her habit of bowing. She then blushed, remembering she's not here to put on a show. She fixed herself to be ready to jump down onto the ground when suddenly she heard something.

She turned around and all of a sudden it felt like it got darker, _'Wait, this isn't right.'_ Rouge looked up and to her amazement it was actually one of her classmates! "It's a faunus! Oh great! I know I saw a couple but it's reassuring to see a fellow faunus!" She watched as the big guy started crashing into the trees. She winced a little and giggled that his massive exterior lead him to have a clumsy landing. She took in a deep breath. With a smile on her face and all her possessions on her, she turned and said, "Well, if I want to partner up I better get a move on!"

Rouge climbed down to one of the lower branches. She then jumped off into a tumble, and began to sprint in the direction of the Big Faunus' crash site.

Rouge made sure to keep striding on, not to make a single noise. Her light foot work made her move like a ghost. There was no need to attract any of the grimm that roamed here. She knew where she was going, and after that. Well… She will soon find out, hopefully. After a few feet or so, she'll begin to climb to gauge a distance and view her surroundings.

_'This reminds me, of a memory from what feels like so very long ago…'_

She sighed as she sat atop of a tree and scouted the area. 'Has it truly been that long? Granted the situation is very different… The view of a full forest though.' She shook her head a little. _'It's still a bit better than sitting atop the crow's nest, or even atop the stage for the high wire act.'_ She shook her head again, _'Now's not the time to be lost in thought. We have work to do.'_ Rouge peered over, "Oh that's a big one…" Soon enough she got a feel for a route towards where she saw her classmate "land". She finally got her bearings and began heading straight towards the crash site.

Rouge kept on her stride until suddenly hitting a thick brush. _'Oh come on now…'_ She made quick work of the brush with the help of Scarlet Queen. As she crossed the new path she made, she gasped at what awaited her. "That's a really big one." She whispered in a panic.

What greeted her at the end of her path was a humongous, no no, GINORMOUS Taijitu, maybe even a King! Rouge was stopped in her tried catching her breath. She slowly maneuvered around the grimm, _'Phew, it's asleep.'_ She let out a small, itty bitty, sigh of relief and quietly moved away from the sleeping Taijitu.

The King Taijitu, although asleep right now, would shock anyone with it's impressive size. Rouge did not ever want to be fed to a snake like a common rodent so she quickly, albeit quietly tried to reach a safe distance away from the beast. She remembers that grimm feed on negative energy, as long as she doesn't begin panicking too much she figures the grimm would stay asleep too. She also knows that once this is all over she will learn all she can about the grimm that roam around world.

Rouge took some refuge a good mile or so away, up atop of a tree. "Great, now where is that site…" Rouge had to look around for a few seconds but she recognized her, hopefully future partner's crash site. She ate a small snack from a pocket of her utility belt and began jumping from tree top to tree top. Making the journey feel like a quick one.

Which it did. She finally reached the site of the fallen and splintered redwood trees.

_'There you are Mister Meteor.'_


	10. Chapter 10 - Silver Leaves

Chapter 10: Silver Leaves

_'Hood up. Cloak on. Chain wrapped.'_

Nero kept his eyes forward. _'Become one of the crowd.' _He needed to at least pass initiation before getting recognized. Perhaps then, the fact that he was officially enrolled in the school would give him some stability in case 'Mr. Green' came looking for him.

He was tired. He had pulled all-nighters before, and he was quite used to them. However, his mind was still knotted like a pretzel. There was a question over the most important thing to him - his identity. At this point he had been reduced to a single function automaton, only able to process one idea at a time.

His eyes were half open, and his arms sat permanently at his side. '_Time,' _He processed, '_6:51 a.m. 9 minutes left.'_

He had found the aircraft that was to take the class to the test area. Some keen students had already arrived, so Nero stuck to the edges of the crowd.

It was a shame that he had to ditch Rouge. She was a bit chatty, but she was entertaining to be around. But no, her loud nature would get him noticed for sure.

'_Why hide? You'll be here for years. He'll find you anyway.'_

He brushed the thought aside. He felt he needed to take a step back and look around. Once he found some footing, he'd show himself soon enough.

' ..._That's what you said a while ago.'_

He decided to stop thinking for a while. It was confusing, opening up to people. He had lived his whole life as a skipping stone, barely making contact with the water as he bounced from place to place. Even his blood family barely knew him before he moved on. He liked being apart from the whole, with his thoughts as his only company.

And yet, yesterday he had actively climbed a tower to chat with that Rouge girl. Before that, he had given his _first name_ to'Mr. Green' - in the presence of a crowd of people that wanted him _dead_. What had happened to him after he left? He felt that the skipping stone had finally slowed down enough to submerge in the water, and he wasn't sure how to handle it. He wasn't sure who he was anymore.

Why did he leave his other life?

For that matter, why did he leave his first life? He was born into the Aegis family. They owned a large mining corporation in Vacuo, and were extremely wealthy. Everything Nero wanted was his for the taking. As the firstborn heir to the company, all he needed to do to be successful and rich was to sit back, relax, and let his parent's money go to work. He would be another member in a long line of Aegises, riding his parents' coattails to the top of life.

He could have had everything anyone could ever want… except one very important thing. All he would be was a shadow of his ancestral line. He wouldn't feel accomplished just by sitting down in an overstuffed chair, letting his company rake in cash to fuel a meaningless life of complacency. He felt the need for self-reliance. He wanted to forge his own identity. What he wanted, what he valued most of all, was a sense of accomplishment.

In order to pave his own way, he decided to leave his home at thirteen. He lived on the streets for a time, but he soon met a young girl who was member of the Barbed Arrow Gang - a family run criminal organization. Using his natural talents of misdirection and strategy, he was able to earn his way into their ranks. He didn't make any meaningful connections to anyone there either; they were merely a stepping stone toward his end goals.

Nero stood watch during heists - not to cover for the thieves, but to learn from them. He learned the ways of stealth, bluffing, and the importance of intimidation and theatrics. When he wasn't on the job, Nero practiced in solitude to improve his skills without distraction. Through the ranks he rose, until he became more than just a member. He went from the small whelp that got stuck with the boring pick-pocketing jobs, to the freelancing super-criminal that only took the most dangerous and difficult heists. His former name faded into obscurity, and he soon was simply referred to as the criminal mastermind known as - The Aegis.

Soon, however, the life of the petty crime master had become trivial and boring. He already could infiltrate nearly any building with a weakness, and had taken nearly enough money to build his own mining corporation. But he still felt unsatisfied. What was the point? He could steal anything he wanted, but how much different was that than inheriting it?

He left that life of crime in order to find purpose, and to grow stronger as an individual. He decided that in order to grow, the best course of action was to join the most prestigious group of individuals he knew of - the Huntsman and Huntresses of Beacon.

This young master criminal now leaned against the inside of the transport sending him to the Emerald Forest. He had quieted his thoughts in order to keep himself from another breakdown like last night. He was terrified of losing control of his emotions again.

But now, after a time of silence, he felt ready to think once more.

_'What am I doing?'_ He asked himself silently, _'I'm shivering here in the corner, afraid of my own shadow. I've never felt this way before.'_ He shifted uncomfortably. '_I change lifestyles all the time. Why is this time any different?'_

_'I gave out my name. I never do that… Why did I do that?…' _His eyebrows raised up in realization, _'__Why not? What is there to hide from? I'm not a criminal, I'm a Huntsman now. Why am I so worried? I've made lifestyle changes before.'_

_'I make it my point to be whomever I need to be...'_

_'What is there to be afraid of? What can the Green Guy do to me? I'm enrolled in Beacon, same as he is.'_

Nero's signature smirk slipped back onto his face, _'__Yeah, maybe I was a little harsh to him, but I'm different now. I've moved on. He'll forgive me eventually, and if not...'_

Nero stood up from the wall he was leaning on. '_What can he do? I'm Nero Aegis!'_ Referring to himself by his full name was odd at first, but it somehow filled him with confidence. He felt a new sense of identity.

_'So what if I'm giving my name out? It's who I am now!_ He was shouting in his head now, _There's no sense in hiding anymore. I've left any guilt behind! Look out Beacon, I'm not backing down for anything!'_

"What's that guy in the robe doing Yasu?" Hadia asked, "He's just standing there, with a weird look on his face."

"Just ignore him Hadia," Yasu responded, "It's an internal monologue; I have them all the time. Just give him a minute… Maybe two."

The transport finally landed at the destination. The doors opened to reveal a massive cliff. It was lined with what looked like the jump pads from the entrance exam. Ozpin explained the procedure to the whole class. The recruits were to launch from the cliffs, travel through the Emerald Forest, and gather totems at a temple near the centre. There would be deadly Grimm along the way, and deadly force was recommended. There was one more rule - the first student you made eye contact with would be your partner for the rest of the year.

Nero could barely listen to the instructions. This was the chance to finally burst out of his shell. He had spent his whole life training and accumulating his skills. Now he finally had his moment to show them off.

He stepped onto his plate. He could hear the metallic *ping* that launched his fellow students off of the cliff, one by one.

He waited. *ping*

The sound of clanging pistons was growing closer. *Ping*

Soon the metallic sound emanated from right next to him.*Ping!*

_'This is it.'_

***PING!...***

Nero was airborne, his hands already gripping the ends of his chain on the inside of his cloak. He activated the dust cartridges. Flame filled his outer garment as he flew through the air, sending sparks and smoke out of his hood and sleeves.

He tore from his black cloak, ripping through the burning fabric. Nero's uniform was finally revealed as he discarded his outer garment, allowing silver lining to glimmer in the firelight. A shining comet flew off into the distance, leaving the smoldering cloth to burn as it floated to the ground behind him.

_'No more hiding.'_

In order to control his fall, Nero pointed the fiery jet streams downward and forward. He continued to descend, undaunted by the face-melting speeds. Using his semblance, he willed the fire billowing around him to recoil and build up beneath him. As the fireball accumulated, Nero felt his aura drain rapidly. _'__Have… to stay… focused…'_

When he was about twenty feet off of the ground, he released the pressurized fireball.

***FWHOOOM***

The blast of heat was immense, sending a wall of air to cushion the fall from the launch pad. Nero tumbled through the fireball, dispersing it as he fell through. The fire was spread everywhere around him, igniting the nearby trees in the forest. Nero finished his fall with roll across the ground, and he ended up on his feet… barely. He could barely stand after a stunt like that. The grass was charred beneath his feet, and an inferno raged around him.

He reached his hands out. By using all of his concentration, he was able to will the flames to release the trees and shrubs around him and float towards his open palms. His eyes rolled back - this technique required the entirety of his concentration. The fire dissipated as soon as it touched him, leaving sparks to coil around his fingers and wrist. Nero breathed deeply as he absorbed the flame into his aura pool.

After a few seconds, the inferno was gone, leaving Nero standing strong once again.

"It's a shame I didn't leave a bit behind," Nero said to himself breathlessly, "It would have made for some excellent lighting."

After taking a few moments to admire his handiwork and replace the dust cartridges in Doloraduro, Nero heard a series of gunshots. The noise probably meant someone was fighting Grimm already. Nero - still brimming with self confidence - rushed to meet this new potential danger.

He zipped over fallen trees, rocks, and bushes, occasionally using his chain to grapple and swing from low-lying branches, until he arrived at a clearing in the woods.

A figure stood in the clearing at the base of a tree. When Nero saw who it was, his new found gumption wavered.

The figure turned to see who it was who had appeared behind him. His green eyes met Nero's mirror like stare. After a short moment of stillness the man's calm and relaxed face slowly contorted into one of pure anger.

One word escaped the green-clothed man's mouth:

"You..."


End file.
